Hack a Mac: New Pressures @ CanSecWest

I wrote this a few months ago. Now that the Mac crumbled in 2 minutes during the Pwn to Own contest at CanSecWest, the ideas are especially important

I wrote this blog and stored it on my pocket pc and lost it. All of this was done in response to articles pointing out that Mac's were being hacked increasingly for profit.

Now that it's public knowledge that the Mac caved quicker than a coal mine, doing something as basic as following a url to a website, Mac owners like me need to be more concerned about system security, starting with timely patches and updates.

Mac for profit hacks

You knew it would happen, what with the Giants winning the superbowl. The unthinkable has begun. Macs are now targeted for hacks.

As the number of Macs grow (and as the number of published vulnerabilities grow); people are now targeting your Mac Air for attack. Bad People...

This backs a principle I've expressed for a few years: no platform is immune from attack. As a platform's concentration grows, so do the targetted attacks.

What you can do:
Like Security? Volunteer for the Center for Internet Security. They're working on an updated benchmark for Leopard.

And now, reach out to the community. Many have never had to enable or purchase security software, like automated updates or antivirus. Help them transition from the quiet enclave of small numbers.

It's a new world for most. Help them survive.

jt

PS. I also use Vista. Vista crumbed second but only after something as security brittle as Flash was installed. Here again, the lesson is obvious. All operating sytems secured timely and reasonably can be undone by the installation of any one poorly secured application.

Ubuntu withstood all challenges. But as that platform increases marketshare, the Adobes and others will create software for it. Hackers will target it, and much like today's Mac users, Ubuntu future users will need some help securing a platform that was once a bit obscure for most attacks.